A driver from the Llanfyllin area has been allowed to remain on the roads despite racking up 18 penalty points – one and a half times the number which usually triggers a ban.

The unnamed motorist, who lives in the SY22 postcode area, is among 607 across the country to have been spared disqualification despite accumulating 18 or more points. The threshold that can see a disqualification imposed is 12.

In the neighbouring SY21 postcode, which encompasses Welshpool and Llanfair Caereinion, there are three people still legally driving with 12 points, and two with 17.

The latest DVLA figures show there is one driver with 12 points living in SY18 (Llanidloes and Llangurig), and five in SY16 (Newtown and surrounding villages), where there are also two drivers still permitted on the roads despite racking up 15 points.

Under current sentencing guidelines, magistrates may steer away from banning a motorist from the roads despite accumulating 12 points if it would cause “exceptional hardship”.

This has been successfully argued by over 10,000 UK drivers currently permitted behind the wheel despite hitting or exceeding the threshold – with one motorist in Oxfordshire allowed to continue driving despite accumulating 51 points.